Nail hopper arrangement for a shoe machine



M. KREJl 3,186,690

NAIL HOPPER ARRANGEMENT FOR A SHOE MACHINE June 1, 1965 Filed March 8, 1963 INVENTOR )7// /a: /a v X472? BY 44/ K United States Patent sasasae NAIL HGPPER ARRANGEMENT FGR A SHGE MACHINE Miloslav Kreji, Chvalcov, Czechoslovakia, assignor to Zavody presneho strojirenstvi Gottwaldov, narodui podnik, Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia Filed Mar. 3,1963, Ser. No. 263,955 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, May 19, 1962, 3,047/ 62 4 Claims. (Cl. 259-75) This invention relates to a mail hopper arrangement for shoe machines, more particularly for machines in which shoe uppers or Vamps are pulled over lasts.

The nailing mechanisms of such machines are supplied with nails from a nail hopper or magazine which is oscillated about its axis by the drive of the machine acting through a cam.

An object of the invention is the provision of a hopper arrangement in which the clearance between moving and stationary parts of the hopper drum or magazine is very small, and is permanently maintained.

Another object of the invention is a hopper'arrangemerit of the type described which is not subject to breakdown because of fatigue failure in the motion transmitting train which connects the nail, hopper or magazine to the machine drive.

With these and other objects in view, the invention provides a hopper arrangement in which a hopper drum adapted to contain a load of nails is secured to a shaft for angular movement relative to a support in which the shaft is journaled. Motion is transmitted to the shaft from an actuator member arranged for reciprocating movement relative to the support in such a manner that the shaft may be oscillated about its axis between two terminal angular positions in unison with the reciprocating movement of the actuator member, but angular inertial movement of the shaft beyond these terminal positions is permitted. The motion transmitting means are effective for damping the inertial movement of the shaft. For this purpose, they include two motion transmitting members which are elognated in a common direction and in telescoping engagement with each other for relative longitudinal movement. The two members are respectively operatively connectedto the shaft and the actuating member for movement therewith.

A cam on one of the members has a central cam face portion which defines a V-shaped notch flaring in a direction transverse of the common direction of elongation of the two members, and two outer carn face portions which extend from the central portion in opposite longitudinal directions. A detent on the other member engages the cam face, and a spring permanently urges the detent toward the cam face in a direction inward of the notch.

The invention will be best understood from the following specification to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a hopper arrangement of the invention in side elevational section;

FIG. 2 is a front-elevational sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken on the line 11-11; and

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus in plan section on the line IIIIH in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIG. 1, there is sown a supporting structiure 1 which is a frame element of the shoe machine, not otherwise shown. The hopper assembly is mounted on the frame 1 by means of a bracket 2 which has a cylindrical tubular portion 2 about a horizontal axis. The bracket 2 is attached to assesses Patented June 1, 1955 ICE frame 1 by screws 4 and rotatably carries a hopper drum 3.

A cup-shaped bearing cover 5 is coaxially fastened in the bracket portion 2 by a threaded key 6.

Two ball bearings 8, 9 are mounted in the cover 5, and are held in axially spaced relationship by a coaxial tubular spacer 10. An axial end portion of a shaft 7 is journmed in the bearings 8, 9 and passes through the spacer 10. The axial position of the bearings 8,9 is secured on the shaft 7 by a washer 12 and by two resilient fasteners 11, 13.

The central portion of the shaft 7 adjacent the hearing 9 is shaped to constitute an integral pinion 7', best seen in FIG. 2, and its otherend portion carries the hopper drum 3 which is secured on the shaft 7 against rotation by non-illustrated keys. The drum' 3 is provided with a cover or lid 14. The radial clearance between the cover 14 and stationary elements P of the nail-feeding arrangement, not themselves relevant to this invention, is very small, as shown at V. V 1

A rack 15 is movable in a recess, of the bracket portion 2 in meshing engagement with the pinion 7', and is held in engagement with the pinion by a cover plate 16 flanged to the bracket portion 2' by bolts. 17. One end of the rack is attached by screws 19 to a vertical cylindrical rod 18. Two diametrically opposite axial grooves in the rod 18 hold respective pairs of cam elements 2%, 20', 21, 21. The. cam elements are fastened in the grooves by screws 22 which pass through the rod 18. Each of the cam elements has a cross section similar to an elongated rectangle having one corner cut off at an angle of approximately 45, as is seen in FIG. 2. The cam elements are inserted in the grooves of the rod 18 in such a manner that the elements of each pair provide an axially elongated cam surface whose central portion defines a V-notch open and flaring in a radially outward direction and flanked by two outer cam surface portions which are parallel to the rod axis. 7

The rod 18 is received in telescoping engagement in the axial bore of an axially slotted sleeve 23. The bottom end 24 of the sleeve 23 is conneeted by a pivot pin 25 to a member 26 of an, actuating mechanism, not otherwise shown. Two tubular arms 31, 32 extend'from the sleeve 23 in diametrically opposite directions. Two elongated detents 27, 27 respectively slidable in the arms 31, 32 carry respective transverse pins 28, 28'. The pins pass through the'detents and outward through corresponding guide slots 33, 33 in the arms 31, 32 which are elongated in the direction of the common axis of the latter, as best seen in FIG. 3. Set screws 29 secure the positions of the pins 28, 28' in the detents. Each free end of the pin 23 outside the arm 32 is connected to a corresponding end of the pin 23' outside the arm 31 by a helical tension spring 30, 30'. The springs urge the two detents toward each other and toward the cam elements on rod 18 which engage the slots of the sleeve 23.

The device operates in the following manner:

When the non-illustrated shoe machine is started, the actuating member 26 is moved downward. Because the beveled ends of the detents 27, 27' are conformingly held in the V-notches of the cam elements by the springs 39, 30', the rack 15 is pulled downward, and the shaft 7 is turned clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, and the hopper drum 3 participates in the angular movement of the shaft 7. When the actuating member 26 reaches the end of its downward stroke, the heavy, nail-filled drum 3 tends tocontinue its angular movement in the original directionunder inertial forces. Since the actuating member 26 and the connected sleeve 23 stand still, continued inertial movement of the drum 3 and of the connected r a rod 13 causes the detents 27, 27' associated V-notches over the inclined faces of the cam to travel outward of the elements 20, 20', thereby stressing the springs 30, 30' until the hopper drum is stopped, whereupon the detents 3 of the. drum about its axis is thus smooth,and free from shock. t g

It is a particular advantage of theinvention that inertial movement of the hopper durm 3 can be damped to a standstill during movement through a very small angle with relatively weak springs exerting a force which may be as small as 15 kilograms. If the hopper durm should jam, its movements come to a halt, and the detents 27, 27', travel out of the associated V-notches unto the vertical outer cam face portions and move there in a vertical straight path whose length equals the stroke of the rod 18 and corresponds to the height of the drive cam (not shown) which causes the movements of the actuating member 26 in a manner known in itself.

What I claim is: l. A nailhopper for a shoe nailing machine comprising, in combination:

(a) a support; 7 V (b) a shaft journaled in said support for angular movement about an axis; (c) a hopper drum adapted to contain a load of nails secured on said shaft for angular movement therewith; r (d) an actuator member arranged for reciprocating movement relative to said, support; and

(e) motion transmitting and damping means inter-- posed between said actuator member and said shaft for oscillating said shaft about said axis between two terminal angular positions in unison with said reciprocating movement of the actuator member, for permitting angular inertial movement of said shaft beyond said terminal positions, and for damping said inertial movement, said motion transmitting and damping means including 1) two motion transmitting members elongated in a common direction and in telescoping engagement with each other for relative longitudinal movement, said two members being operatively connected to said shaft and to said actuating member respectively for joint move ment therewith, (2) cam means mounted on one of said two 4 members and having a central cam face portion defining a substantially V-shaped notch flaring in a direction transverse of said common direction, and two outer cam face portions extending from said central portion in opposite longitudinal directions, 7 (3) detent means on the other one of said two members and engaging said cam face, and (4) yieldably resilient m eans, permanently urging said detenttmeans toward. said cam face in a direction inward of said notch.

2. A hopper as set forth in claim 1,i.wherein said one member is tubular and said other member is partly received in said one member, two tubular arms extending transversely of said common direction from said one member in opposite directions, said detent means includ-,

ing two detent members respectively slidable in said arms toward and'away from said other member, said yieldably resilient means including a tension spring having two end portions respectively secured to said detent members for urging the same toward each other, and said cam means including two team members mounted on the portion of said other member received in said onemember, said cam members each having a cam face including a central portion defining a substantially V-shaped notch and normally receiving one of said detent members under the urging of said spring. V

3. A nail hopper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said motion transmitting members further .include a pinion on said shaft, and a rack fastened to one of said two motion transmitting members.v

4. A nail hopper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shaft has two axial end portions, one of said end portions being journaled in said suppert, and said hopper drum being mounted on the other end portion.

References- Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GRANVILLEY. CUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner." 

1. A NAIL HOPPER FOR A SHOE NAILING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A SUPPORT; (B) A SHAFT JOURNALED IN SAID SUPPORT FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS; (C) A HOPPER DRUM ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A LOAD OF NAILS SECURED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT THEREWITH; (D) AN ACTUATOR MEMBER ARRANGED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT; AND (E) MOTION TRANSMITTING AND DAMPING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER AND SAID SHAFT FOR OSCILLATION SAID SHAFT ABOUT SAID AXIS BETWEEN TWO TERMINAL ANGULAR POSITIONS IN UNISON WITH SAID RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT OF THE ACTUATOR MEMBER, FOR PERMITTING ANGULAR INERTIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFT BEYOND SAID TERMINAL POSITIONS, AND FOR DAMPING SAID INERTIAL MOVEMENT, SAID MOTION TRANSMITTING AND DAMPING MEANS INCLUDING (1) TWO MOTION TRANSMITTING MEMBERS ELONGATED IN A COMMON DIRECTION AND IN TELESCOPING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER FOR RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT, SAID TWO MEMBERS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT AND TO SAID ACTUATING MEMBER RESPECTIVELY FOR JOINT MOVEMENT THEREWITH, (2) CAM MEANS MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID TWO MEMBERS AND HAVING A CENTRAL CAM FACE PORTION DEFINING A SUBSTANTIAL V-SHAPED NOTCH FLARING IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF SAID COMMON DIRECTION, AND TWO OUTER CAM FACE PORTIONS EXTENDING FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION IN OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONS, (3) DETENT MEANS ON THE OTHER ONE OF SAID TWO MEMBERS AND ENGAGING SAID CAM FACE, AND (4) YIELDABLY RESILIENT MEANS PERMANENTLY URGING SAID DETENT MEANS TOWARD SAID CAM FACE IN A DIRECTION INWARD OF SAID NOTCH. 